


What if Someone Vicious Had Entered: Part IV

by S A G (setgree)



Series: What if Someone Vicious Had Entered? [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:42:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25886032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/setgree/pseuds/S%20A%20G
Summary: This is Part IV of "What if Someone Vicious had Entered?"It takes place in the lead-up to the Battle of Hogwarts in May 1998.
Series: What if Someone Vicious Had Entered? [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878430





	What if Someone Vicious Had Entered: Part IV

**Part IV**

_ “Professor McGonagall has not grown up with the Muggle concept of the increasing power of science, and nobody’s ever told her that when a friend’s life is at stake is a time when you need to _ think very rationally –"

–  _ Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality _

**Chapter 15**

**Sarah**

[Harry’s back] Neville broadcast. [Be in the room in five minutes.]

The three of us were at dinner when the call came, and in seconds we had left the table and were going to our dorm rooms, along with everyone else we’d organized who wasn’t already living in the room. I got the chest out from under my bed and put on exactly the gear I had set aside for the occasion – off with the robes and, on top of the clawed gloves and reasonably fire and bulletproof synthetic first layer I always wore, I put on the spell resistant jeans and hoodie, the black zip up jacket with the veils Lev had planted in, bullet proof cap, my coil, two pistols, two uzis, and a granola bar, everything in every pocket and belt loop and sleeve I had, and was out the door, veiled. When I got there I found the usual suspects, thirty students or so, and my two. I was at least passable as unarmed at first glance, but Jess and Lev had all their weapons out, the AR and the M24 crisscrossed against Lev’s back, Jess’s sidearms every which way around her waist, both in leather jackets and jeans, both working up a sweat on a punching bag. I joined in.

“You ready?"

“So fucking ready."

“Amped."

“What’s the play?"

“Harry’s guard?"

“If he wants."

“He’s come back for insurrection? Or something he needs?"

“Let’s ask him."

“Dude I’m so jacked up I can’t think straight. You’re in command?"

“Yes. I’ve got this."

“Should we tell everybody?"

“Sure. Can one of you nominate me?"

“Yes."

Lev whistled to get everyone’s attention.

“I’m glad to see you all here. We don’t know what Harry needs yet, but if it’s something in the school, we should help him, agreed?"

Chorus of assent.

“We’re thinking if Harry gets here, there’s gonna be Death Eaters. Maybe a chance to get back at some of them. Since few of you have real combat experience, it might be helpful to formalize chain of command. I vote Sarah. Any objections?"

Again, general agreement.

“Thanks," I said. “Cho is in command if I am absent. Other than that, follow your toon leaders. Are you with me? If you get an order that doesn’t make sense to you, will you follow it?"

No one said anything, and some of them looked at Cho.

“Until death, girl," Cho said, saluting. “Dumbledore’s Army."

Her tactical gear looked a lot like ours, accentuated by the heavily modified AK-47 strapped to her back.

“We’re ready," Seamus said.

Everyone gave some kind of assent of fealty at that point, some people saluting, some kneeling, some just speaking. I was proud. We’d built this thing. Jess and Lev put a hand each on my shoulders.

“He’s coming, he’s coming!" Colin shouted.

Neville led Harry’s group through, and they were immediately mobbed. I took advantage of the distraction to approach Hermione.

“We’re here for you. What do you need?"

“We’re looking for something."

“A horcrux?"

“…"

“Doesn’t matter. You know where it might be?"

“Harry thinks it might have something to do with Ravenclaw."

“And your opinion?"

“I haven’t a clue. His intuitions have been good so far though. And you would not believe the day we’re having right now."

“Ok. We’ll do everything we can to help."

“Thanks."

I stepped back to my crowd and caught Seamus asking, “What’s the plan Harry?"

Harry told them that he had something to do that they couldn’t help with, and everybody got mad at that. While he tried to explain, Luna, Ginny, and a guy with dreadlocks I didn’t know showed up. Harry looked confused and afraid, when suddenly Ron said: “why can’t they help?"

“What?"

They conferenced privately. I made a minimal effort to eavesdrop and confirmed that they thought a horcrux was in the school. After that, Harry told everyone he was looking for something of Ravenclaw’s; Luna informed him that it could be the lost diadem; no one knew what it looked like, and Cho volunteered to lead him there.

“We need to move," Harry told his two.

“No, Luna will take Harry, won’t you, Luna?" Ginny said.

Luna agreed.

“Ginny, cut the bullshit," I said. “Luna will go, and I’m coming too. Cho, oversee deployment. Hermione, yes or no, is You-Know-Who coming?"

“…Yes."

“Well, that simplifies things. Lev, stay in the room and work on getting everyone armed and contacting our crew. Jess, activate the school’s defenses. Toons A-D, to the turrets. If I don't see you again, good luck. Cho, E, F, and G are at your discretion. All units, suit up and go."

Jess set off first, veiling en route. Anthony Goldstein, Padma Patil, Seamus Finnegan, and Michael Corner conferred with their toons and set off to the turrets. Harry, Luna and I followed out the exit cupboard and up the torch-lit staircase that deposited us somewhere different every evening. Before we emerged, Harry and Luna got under his invisibility cloak; I followed along behind, invisible and off the ground, one hand on the coil grip and the other free.

When we got inside the Ravenclaw common room, Harry stepped out from under the cloak, and read the words on the central statue aloud.

“Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure…"

“Which makes you pretty skint, witless," crowed Alecto, stepping out of a veil. Harry fell on his ass; Alecto touched the mark on her wrist; and Luna saved the woman’s life by stunning her a moment before my coil found her neck.

“Hide, now!" I hissed. The two of them got under Harry’s cloak as Ravenclaws started streaming out in their pajamas. I was trying to figure out the best way to explain the situation to everyone when Amycus started pounding on the door.

“ALECTO! If he comes, and we haven’t got Potter– d’you want to go the same way as the Malfoys? ANSWER ME!" he screamed.

McGonagall, I heard, came to the door and answered a riddle, at which point the two of them entered. Every Ravenclaw scrammed.

“What’ve they done, the little whelps? I’ll cruciate the lot of ’em till they tell me who did it– and what’s the Dark Lord going to say? We haven’t got him, and they’ve gone and killed her!"

“She’s only stunned," said McGonagall. “She’ll be perfectly all right."

“No she bludgering well won’t! Not after the Dark Lord gets hold of her! She’s gone and sent for him, I felt me Mark burn, and he thinks we’ve got Potter!"

“Got Potter?" said McGonagall sharply. “What do you mean, got Potter?"

“He told us Potter might try and get inside Ravenclaw Tower, and to send for him if we caught him!"

I couldn’t detect anyone hidden, but spent almost a minute checking that I was right. Their conversation proceeded, But before I did anything, Amycus spat in Minerva’s face, and Harry came out from the cloak and Crucio-ed the man. Amycus was lifted off the ground, writhing, and fell unconscious. Minerva and Harry had a reunion.

I stepped out from the veil, briefly greeted McGonagall, and, in a few simple spells, bound and tied the Carrows to a nearby desk. For good measure I deepened their rest. The Ravenclaws were beginning to peek in from their doorways. None entered the common space.

Harry and McGonagall had barely taken notice of me, and I caught Harry saying: “Professor McGonagall, Voldemort’s on the way."

McGonagall took the news badly, sinking into a nearby chair.

“You must flee!" she said.

“I can’t! There’s something I need to do. Professor, do you know where the diadem of Ravenclaw is?"

“The d-diadem of Ravenclaw? Of course not, hasn’t it been lost for centuries? Potter, it was madness, utter madness, for you to enter this castle.”

“I had to, Professor, there’s something here that I’m supposed to find, and it could be the diadem – if I could just speak to Professor Flitwick…"

Harry leaned down and clutched his head. Luna looked curious, McGonagall concerned.

“Time’s running out, Vodlermort’s getting nearer. Professor, I’m acting on Dumbledore’s orders, I must find what he wanted me to find! But we’ve got to get the students out while I’m searching the castle – it’s me Voldermort wants, but he won’t care about killing a few more or less, not now."

“You’re acting on Dumbledore’s orders?" she asked. She looked around the room. “We shall secure the school against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named while you search for this– this object."

“Is that possible?"

“I think so. We teachers are rather good at magic, you know."

“Professor," I said, “Jess is securing the turrets at this very moment."

“Why…thank you Sarah, I’m sure that will help."

“Do you have a plan?"

“Yes, the school has certain automatic defenses…I’m sorry, what have you done with the Carrows?"

“I’m preparing to either execute or take them as hostages. I meant a more specific plan in the event of invasion?"

“I must consult with the heads of houses. And also, I suppose, have a word with Professor Snape."

“Ok. Please do so. Forgive me Minerva, but we need to move quickly, my crew is coming. Do you have any knowledge about whether Voldermort cares for these two? Whether he’ll negotiate for their lives?"

“I…sincerely doubt it, Ms. Lahiri. But there might be others in his command who do and who will."

“Ok then," I said. “Excuse me."

I walked over to the Carrows and kneeled by them.

“Grow," I said. The claws came out. I heard gasps from behind me.

I rolled Amycus’s sleeves up and put my hands around his forearms, directly above the tattoo. I squeezed, and the claws severed his arms. I moved over a few feet and did the same to Alecto. I waved my hand and transfigured their severed arms and the spilled blood into dust. A few breaths later, I said: “innervate."

They woke up, took stock of their situation, and panicked. Alecto screamed in pain and struggled against her bindings. Amycus looked like he was going to pass out.

“Imperio," I said.

The two of them stopped making any noise. I took their arms in my hands one at a time and cauterized the wounds with fire.

“Look at me," I said. “Stay here. Be silent. If anybody besides me, Minerva, Lev or Jess attempts to free you, you will resist by any means possible. If one of you attempts to contact the Dark Lord, the other of you will attempt to kill them."

They nodded.

I turned back to McGonagall. She and Harry were staring at me with naked horror. Luna showed nothing.

“Two perfect hostages, at your disposal," I said. “Let’s find Flitwick."

Harry and Luna got under the cloak; I veiled, and McGonagall summoned three patronuses (now that was tricky – I was impressed) to contact the other Heads of Houses. On our way out, I glanced back at the Carrows. A few of the older Ravenclaws had walked up to them, inspecting their wounds.

[Any of you kill them, and I’ll kill you] I broadcast to the general area. The Ravenclaws startled and looked around. I closed the door and followed McGonagall.

Two corridors later I heard a set of quiet footsteps.

“Who’s there?" McGonagall asked.

“It is I," replied Snape, stepping out from behind a suit of armor. “Where are the Carrows?"

“Wherever you told them to be, I expect, Severus."

“I was under the impression that Alecto had apprehended an intruder."

They kept bantering. I was waiting to see how the situation unfolded when suddenly McGonagall struck, but Snape shielded immediately, before Minerva funneled a torch into a whirlwind of fire, which Snape reflected back as a giant snake apparition. Minerva in turn transformed that into a hail of daggers, from which Snape took refuge behind the same suit of armor. They were fast and skilled, easily in league with my crew, but I couldn’t believe the non-lethal magic they were using. I moved Harry and Luna towards a wall and put a shield up between us and the teachers, preparing to intervene – but then Flitwick, Sprout and Slughorn came ambling into sight. “No!" shouted Flitwick. “You’ll do no more murder at Hogwarts!"

The little man aimed his wand at the suit of armor in front of Snape, which then tried to restrain him. Snape squirmed out and ran. He made it through a classroom door, McGonagall in hot pursuit. Seconds later she shrieked: “coward! COWARD!"

I was the next one in, and saw Snape flying away. He wasn’t more than five hundred feet away. I could hit him. Especially if I flew after, if he wasn’t expecting anyone.

I hesitated.

Snape moved quickly.

The opportunity was gone.

The professors caught up and acted surprised that Harry was there. But Harry clutched his forehead again and said, “Professor we’ve got to barricade the school, he’s coming now!"

McGonagall declared that they should let any of-age students stay and fight and suggested getting everyone together in the Great Hall. Harry asked Flitwick about the diadem, to which he replied that no one in living memory had seen it. We were approached by the caretaker, whom McGonagall ordered to get the poltergeist. She then woke a suit of armor and commanded:

“Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to the school!"

Every statue and suit in sight began moving.

“Now Potter," she said, “you and Miss Lovegood had better return to your friends and bring them to the Great Hall. I shall rouse the other Gryffindors."

I followed Harry to the Room again, which we found crowded with the Order and some folks I didn’t know. Jordan was in a corner, tending to a rifle. Lupin was speaking to Lev, and a couple of the older members were inspecting a table of weapons. “What’s going on?" George asked.

“They’re evacuating the younger kids and everyone’s meeting in the Great Hall to get organized," Harry said. “We’re fighting."

Two dozen people started cheering. There was a great commotion, and people moved for the stairs. As they filed out, Jess came into the room and gestured to the two of us.

“Defenses are up. I got joined by some suits of armor halfway through. Anything tries to come up through the turrets or through the windows and they’re gonna get a spear in the face. A through D in place. It’s not perfect but anything puts a real effort and there should be a klaxon going up – Lev what’s wrong?"

I looked at him. I hadn’t noticed. So immersed in my trajectory. Lev was at the point of breakdown. Like I hadn’t seen him in years. His cheeks were flushed, and he was shaking. There was a sense of distorted reality in the air around him.

“I can’t get in touch with the crew. They’re in trouble."

**Chapter 16**

**Raj**

My daughter has asked me to explain to you the lure that left us unable to intervene the day the man with the fractured soul attacked his schoolhouse like that will help. But you do not need my words, I think. You need a reboot. This was the wrong universe to be born in, so burn it down.

The wards incinerated masses of our would-be-killers but they came through brute force and we had withdrawn our children and old and it was the seven of us waiting with knives out dancing and laughing amidst them their bodies entropic and distended and they took us elsewhere thinking they could outcompete on a different court fool fools fools, fools.

No, we. Too off-script to wonder if some few hundred sentient things would die to keep us from the main stage. I suppose our adversary or the cosmic child for whom we are playthings would not think of the men we killed as having moral status and so it would not constrain the author for a moment to have them walk grinning into the abattoir.

And my daughter knew none of it. She must have been so scared. So we were not there for her. Of course I am ashamed. Is that what you want me to write, Sarah? That we were the idiots?

**Chapter 17**

**Sarah**

Jess stood behind Lev and threaded her arms around him and he sank into her.

“What did you see?" I asked.

“Nothing. Calls didn’t go through. Room gave me this fucking stone that extended my telepathy, I heard nothing, white noise. Asked to see what they were seeing. Saw a little screen on the wall. They’re under attack. Couldn’t tell what was happening, just spells flying. Screen cut off. Room didn’t have enough power or something to keep it going. Talked to Lupin. Said he hadn’t heard anything."

“Jordan you got through to no problem?"

“Yes."

My stomach turned as I did the math.

“This is no coincidence," I said.

“That’s right," Jordan said. He had walked over while I wasn’t looking. “This is a full-out assault. Voldemort has more resources than we knew. He wants to wipe out Harry and your crew in one swoop."

“What the fuck," Jess said, “are we going to do?"

No one spoke. Jordan looked at me and raised his eyebrows.

“Lev, did you get any indication of where they were?"

“No."

“Did you…leave some sort of message?"

“Yes. Any of them goes home, or anywhere we regularly go, they’ll see an alarm. It’ll communicate that we’re under attack."

“Is there anything else you can think to do?"

“No."

“Then…I think we should stick to the plan. Maybe try again in half an hour or so. Lupin have anything to say?"

“Yeah. He said the same thing. Said word would get around, half the wizards in the world are going to show up here."

“Your head on straight? You gonna be able to fight?"

“…Yeah."

He took a few deep breaths.

“Good. Because you know the best thing we can do for them is to protect Harry, make sure Voldermort goes down."

“Well said," Jordan murmured.

“Jess?"

“I…" She paused. “It’s not my family on the line. You know what I’m about."

“Can I count on you two?"

“Yes."

“Yes."

“All right. Let’s join the group."

Lev put on what would have to pass for a calm facade. Jess did the same. As I walked away, she put her hands in his hair and pulled him in close, whispering something I couldn’t hear.

I focused on the rest of the group. The Weasleys had been joined by another brother, and it looked as though Mrs. Weasley had told Ginny to sit this one out. I reached out to her.

[I’ll get in touch soon and put you someplace where your family isn’t.]

[Thank you.]

[Of course.]

[I’m scared Sarah.]

[Just kill as many as you can.]

Lupin looked at the three of us.

“Weasley clan," he said, “for what it’s worth, this isn’t really our show. Kids, what’s the play?"

“Down to the Great Hall," I said. “Unless one of you is particularly good with any kind of long range arms, then I can already assign you to Turret D, which has the best vantage."

“Can’t say that I am."

“Ok. Great hall. Jess and Lev take the rear, Bill and Arthur, wings. Lupin you and me in front. I’ll be invisible but have a mirage cast next to myself. Any of you that can get invisible, do. We move now."

**Chapter 18**

Downstairs the teachers were organizing students. Kingsley was talking to Flitwick and Slughorn when I approached him. He excused himself, and he and I parlayed.

“Your crew knows we’re under attack here."

“You spoke to them?"

“Briefly, to Nate. I was alerting them that Voldermort was en route when I heard the attack commence. I went to Sedona to investigate, everyone was gone. Your camp is in ruins, but I didn’t see any bodies. I couldn’t track them. We came here."

“That’s all you know?"

“Yes."

“God fucking dammit Kingsley."

“I know."

“So we’re here?"

“Yes. We’re here. Is that Jordan Loew with Lev and Jess?"

“Yes."

“He’s wanted. If you knew–"

“I do know. He’s with us."

“If you say so. If I’m standing when this is over, he’s under arrest. Your parents told me that you were organizing a school defense plan. What do I need to know?"

“All four turrets have significant fortifications which we’ve augmented through the year, each has four snipers we’ve stationed on top, units A-D. McGonagall has supplemented with some school based spells we never dreamed of. Space is tight so add wisely. Other than that, seven exits to the school. We’ve sealed each but none can take a full assault, they need to be patrolled. Grounds are no-man’s land. Main entrance is strong, but won’t withstand Voldermort. I’ve got, units E through G, all reasonably competent, here with me – there, the ones huddling. Unit E is for recon. Neville’s and Cho’s groups are the most multi-purpose. No equivalent plan for adults, don’t know enough about their abilities. I need you for that."

“Sarah, this is excellent. Excellent. What is Harry doing?"

“Looking for Voldemort’s Horcrux."

“Mother of Christ. Why would he put it here?"

“No idea. But, a) Harry can read his mind, b) Voldermort is coming here, and c) he told the Carrows that Harry might go to Ravenclaw tower, so evidence points to Harry being right. The Carrows are docile hostages in the Ravenclaw common room."

Kingsley bowed his head.

“Your crew told me I could count on you, but I didn’t understand. This is better than we could have hoped for. Thank you."

“You’re welcome. I know the politics of this are delicate. Are you comfortable announcing that you’re leading?"

“I’ll have better command of the adults. But stick by me and we’ll do this."

“I’m–"

I was cut off as I felt a spell begin. A high clear voice spoke. It seemed to come from everywhere, from right beside my ears to the ceiling.

“I KNOW YOU ARE PREPARING TO FIGHT."

People screamed.

“YOUR EFFORTS ARE FUTILE. YOU CANNOT FIGHT ME. I DO NOT WANT TO KILL YOU. I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE TEACHERS OF HOGWARTS. I DO NOT WANT TO SPILL MAGICAL BLOOD."

There was silence now.

“GIVE ME HARRY POTTER," Voldermort said, "AND NONE SHALL BE HARMED. GIVE ME HARRY POTTER AND I SHALL LEAVE THE SCHOOL UNTOUCHED. GIVE ME HARRY POTTER AND YOU SHALL BE REWARDED. YOU HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT."

Pansy Parkinson, of all people, was the first to react.

“But he’s there! Potter’s there! Someone grab him!"

In one fluid motion, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff stood and faced her, wands out. Cho had gotten her team behind an overturned table the moment Voldermort began to speak, the barrels of their rifles protruding over and aimed at Pansy. Slytherin cowered. Jess looked at the tableau and laughed.

“Thank you, Miss Parkinson," Minerva said. “You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of your House could follow."

Slytherin decamped. The younger members of the other houses did as well. Kingsley gestured to me and we stood on top of a table. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to us. I projected a map of the school’s major defense points onto a wall as Kingsley laid the situation out. He delegated some professors to the towers, the Weasley twins to the hidden entrances (they volunteered, moreover), and said that he, Arthur and Lupin would lead teams to the grounds. He turned to me.

“For the non-students, this is Sarah Lahiri. If I’m not present she’s in command. Any additions?"

“Toon E with Fred and George," I said. “Parvati, you know the drill but if anything comes through, rabbit early. F and G, main hall, with me. Lev and Jess and Susan, get out there on the grounds, and butcher them. This isn’t an army we’re facing, put some heads on pikes and they’ll scare. Jordan you’re on your own and under my aegis; when this is over, scram. All of you, shoot to kill. Godspeed."

Parvati, Neville, and Cho nodded back and huddled with their teams. Lev and Bones were doing God-knows-what last-minute checks on their rifles, murmuring to each other; Jess was doing a standard jujitsu warm-up. Jordan was sitting in a meditative pose behind them in a corner, watching. I sent up to Ginny: [your family will be on the mid-levels and the grounds. Fred and George need you guarding the secret entrances. Stay veiled.]

[Got it] I heard back faintly.

People began to move. Harry was chasing some ghost; Ron and Hermione I’d lost track of. Parvati and co. were talking to Fred and George; Neville and Cho and their crews were in corners of the room, inspecting weak points. I joined my two. Jess watched the comings and goings and smiled. It had been about 15 minutes since Voldermort had addressed us. She tapped her throat twice and when she spoke, it was nearly as loud as Voldermort had been.

“YOU WANT HARRY, TOM RIDDLE? COME AND GET HIM YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Students roared and stomped on the ground. Minerva laughed.

A voice replied, coming in like Voldermort’s. Polite, upper-crust, American male. It wasn’t very loud, but it was clear, like listening to a conductor address a crowd unamplified in a good concert hall.

“Do I hear an American? Would you be part of the Stadler-Li crew? We’ve had the pleasure, perhaps, of a previous meeting?"

There was general confusion at that, and people mostly proceeded as if they hadn’t heard it. Lev and Jess looked at me. I looked at Jordan. He was already up and pouring what looked like blood on the floor in a summoning circle, roughly twenty feet away from us.

“It’s him," he said, “or someone who sounds just like him. It’s Putnam."


End file.
